Process for obtaining alkali metals



Patented Mar. 10, 1925.

UNITED STATES azaszi LOUIS HACKSPILL AND CHARLES STAEHLING, OFSTRASBOURG, FRANCE.

- PROCESS FOR OBTAINING ALKALI METALS.

No Drawing. Application filed July 7,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, LOUIS HAcKsPILL and CHARLES STAEHLING, bothcitizens of France, and residents of Strasbourg, Bas T Rhine, France,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes forObtaining Alkali Metals (llior which applications have been filed inrance, November 5, 1913, No. 464,469; in Switzerland. Dei cember 24,1919; in Sweden, January 8, 1920, and in Norway, January 7. 1920), andof which the following is a specification.

-.The invention relates to the method of obtaining metals of thealkalies from their 515 salts, and consists in heating halogen sal s ofthe metals of the alkalies with a, salt of a metal of the alkalineearths whose acid radicle or equivalent will not combine during thereaction with the alkali metal set free.

Among the reactions that may be carried .out may be mentioned an alkalimetal halide with calcium carbide, calcium hydride and calcium silicide;When using calcium carbide the reaction may be indicated as follows:

wherein'M indicates an alkali metal.

In this reaction there is obtained, besides the alkali metal, also alamp black of Very superior quality. y

In order to carry out this reaction most advantageously, i. e., in orderto obtain the a; alkali metal, the operation must be carried out under'conditions such that the vapor 1920. Serial No. 394,600.

proceed without requiring the use of a vacuum, provided the tempera tureis sufliciently high, and that the operation is carried out in a closedvessel.

By the process, according to this invention, alloys of alkali metals maybe obtained from their chlorides.

The following is an example of a method of carrying the present processinto effect:

Into a cylindrical container is introduced grammes of NaCl in a finelypowdered state, and 50 grammes of C Ca in dry powder. A good vacuum isproduced in the vessel, then heating is effected to approximately 3500., for instance, when a considerable amount of gas will be given off.The temperature is then raised to about 800 0., for three or four hours,and the sodium will distill off to the cold portions of the apparatus.

We claim- 1. A process for obtaining the alkali metals or alloys of suchmetals, which consists in heating in vacuo a halide of an alkali metalor a mixture of halides of alkali metals with compounds of the metals ofthe alkaline earths and maintaining the vacuum throughout the durationof the reaction.

-2. A process for obtaining the alkali metals w ich comprises placingthe. chloride of an alkali metal and compounds of the metals of thealkaline earths in a closed vessel and in a good vacuum, heating themetal are separated and maintaining the vacuum during the entiretlMI'GELCtlOH.

In witness whereof, we have hereunto signed our names in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS HACKSPILL. CHARLES STAEHLING.

